NEW DELHI: Shardiya Navratri 2026 began on October 11, and the fifth day falls on Thursday, October 15, 2026. This day is dedicated to Maa Skandamata, the fifth form of Goddess Durga. She is worshipped as the mother of Bhagwan Skanda, popularly known as Kartikeya or Murugan in different parts of India. There is something deeply moving about Maa Skandamata’s image. She is holding her young son in her lap, and reminding us that even divine power can express itself through softness. We often imagine that having strength means having the ability to fight, win or stand alone. But motherhood offers another understanding of strength i.e., the ability to care, to protect, to make sacrifices and to keep going even when life becomes difficult. Worshiping Maa Skandamata allows us to look beyond grand gestures and recognise the quiet strength that often holds families and relationships together.
Origin of Maa Skandamata Name
The name Skandamata comes from two words: Skanda, the name of her son, and Mata, meaning mother. She is also called Padmasana Devi because she is often depicted seated on a lotus. Her image is different from the fierce forms of Goddess Durga that are shown fighting demons. Maa Skandamata is usually depicted with four arms, holding lotus flowers in two of them, while one hand blesses her devotees. Her young son sits in her lap, and a lion is associated with her divine form.
Maa brings together two qualities that we sometimes find difficult to understand together: tenderness and power. She is a loving mother, yet she is also a form of Goddess Durga, who represents the strength to protect what is right.
Who is Maa Skandamata?
In Hindu tradition, Maa Skandamata is closely related with the birth and upbringing of Bhagwan Kartikeya who is the son of Bhagwan Shiva and Goddess Parvati. According to Hindu mythology, Kartikeya became the commander of the divine army and played an important role in the battle against the demon Tarakasura. Maa Skandamata represents the maternal aspect of this story: the mother who nurtures a child who will eventually take on great responsibilities.
But there is a deeper way to look at this story.
A child may eventually become a warrior, a leader or someone who changes the world, but before all that, the child needs care, patience and guidance. Someone has to help the child in learning the difference between right and wrong, stand back up after failure and find the courage to face uncertain situations. Through Maa Skandamata’s story we understand that the strength we admire in adults often begins with the love, discipline and encouragement those adults receive as a child while growing up.
Maa Skandamata Mantra for Navratri Day 5
Devotees can chant Maa Skandamata’s mantra and express their devotion and seek her blessings for peace, strength and the well-being of their families.
ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः॥
Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah
Meaning: I bow to Goddess Skandamata, the divine mother of Lord Skanda.
Navratri Day 5 Colour 2026
Yellow is a fitting colour for a day dedicated to motherhood and nurturing. Devotees may wear yellow clothes or use yellow flowers during their puja. However, wearing the day’s colour is a customary way of participating in the festival, not a requirement for worship.
Maa Skandamata Bhog: What is offered to the goddess?
Bananas are a commonly mentioned bhog offering for Maa Skandamata on the fifth day of Navratri. Devotees may also offer other fruits, sweets and food prepared according to their family traditions. The offering is made with devotion and gratitude. After the puja, the bhog is distributed as prasad among family members and others.
What Maa Skandamata Teaches Us in Today’s World
We live in a world where strength is often associated with independence, achievement and the ability to handle everything alone. We celebrate people who never give up, but we sometimes forget to ask what it costs them to keep going. Maa Skandamata allows us to consider another kind of strength: the strength to care without losing compassion, to guide without controlling and to protect without making others feel powerless.
For parents, Maa Skandamata’s story is a reminder that raising a child is beyond giving food, education or material comforts. It is also about creating an environment in which a child feels safe enough to make mistakes, learn from them and develop confidence.
For children, the day offers an opportunity to recognise the care they may have taken for granted. Sometimes, parents may seem too strict, and their advice may be hard to follow. But we should also try to understand the love, care and experience behind their words.
For those who have lost their mothers, live far from their families or have complicated relationships with their parents, the day can carry a different meaning. The idea of motherhood may bring both comfort and sadness. There is no single way to experience these emotions, and devotion does not require anyone to pretend that every family relationship is perfect.
Maa Skandamata’s message reminds us that we all need love and care, and that everyone has their own struggles. We may not be able to repay those who have always supported us, but we can listen to them, respect their efforts, share their responsibilities and make them feel valued.
On the fifth day of Navratri 2026, as we offer our prayers to Maa Skandamata, the most meaningful way to honour her is not only to seek a mother’s blessings, but also to practise the values her form represents: to be kinder, to protect those who need us, to respect those who care for us and to remember that even the strongest people deserve love. Because sometimes, the greatest strength in the world is not the power to defeat an enemy, but the love that helps another person find the courage to face life.
